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the team at skinSALVATION does a lot of investigating in order to find the safest and best quality foods and products to recommend to our clients to keep their skin clear long term. we absolutely love it when our clients become detectives in their own right and bring our attention to potential acne triggers that we haven’t discovered yet. yay for teamwork!!

recently, one of our savvy male clients, TB, came across this super interesting report on protein powders put out by an organization called, “the clean label project”. they “use data and science to reveal the true contents of america’s best selling consumer products. products are tested in an accredited analytical chemistry laboratory for 130 harmful environmental and industrial contaminants and toxins, and their results are published as product ratings.” the clean label project currently tests baby food, pet foods, and protein powders. there are some people out there that weren’t as impressed with the clean label project as we were and in an effort to provide all perspectives and information available. we want to share this link where the writer talks about some of the clean label project’s shortcomings and issues with it’s research.

TB, a very active vegan athlete looked up protein powders, and unearthed information on the one he had been taking – which looked acne-safe (meaning, it didn’t contain soy or whey or other acne-causing foods we look for). through this report, he found out more about its’ nutritional value, heavy metals, pesticides and mycotoxins and we were shocked by the findings.

CASE STUDY

TB came to us in september of 2017 with over-exfoliated, inflamed and picked-at skin. his clarity at the time was about 60% and 95% of the acne lesions that he did have were inflamed. being a gluten-free vegan, his protein options dramatically decreased after learning that he’d need to stop eating acne-causing soy in order to clear up his skin. on top of this, we discovered that he was likely suffering from a systemic candida imbalance after he scored high on this candida questionnaire. he decided to embark on a vegan candida cleanse but because the diet was so restrictive he only lasted on it for about 3 weeks. (generally, folks stay on this whole + natural foods diet for 2-3 months to clear up the candida. candida can cause sS-resistant acne, among other more serious long-term conditions). he also started taking this anti-fungal candida control tincture which is the other necessary component to getting candida successfully and fully under control. (ideally, you need to avoid all sugars in your diet to starve the yeast, and supplement by taking anti-fungals to clean out and purge the excess yeast. there are many other components to this; check out our other posts on candida). he continued to work hard to avoid soy, sugar, gluten and eat as close to the candida diet as he could and we started to see his inflammation calm down and his clarity improve.

in addition to the dietary changes and supplement regimen, he was coming in for regular treatments and using our targeted skinSALVATION home care products. unlike most clients we see, his acne was really not extractable (he was too inflamed), so instead of focusing on extractions during his treatments we opted for chemical peels, high frequency (a machine that kills acne bacteria, reduces inflammation and speeds up healing) and 20 minutes under our LED panel to further heal the skin and combat inflammation at a deeper level. we continued to do extractions where we could. by his 4th treatment on november 26, 2017 he was 80% clear and showing vast improvement in terms of inflammation and overall skin health. by january 21, 2018, he was 95% clear. check out his amazing transformation below!

THE PROTEIN POWDER DISCOVERY

after moving away from the bay area, TB reached out to us, letting us know about the clean label project study. he had been taking vega protein powder every day, even several times a day for about 6 months before seeing us. his skin had got really bad, super inflamed with very deep cysts in april-aug 2017, around the time he starting taking the vega protein powder.

at his consultation appointment in 9/2017, his clarity was 60% and most of that was the inflamed and cystic type of acne. he was baffled as to why his skin had gotten so bad over the last few months when really nothing had changed. looking back we both really think that this protein powder is the main reason it got so bad. another major factor was probably physical stress from all the intense working out he was doing at that time – he himself said his body looked it’s best but his skin looked it’s worst!

we didn’t think of the protein powder to be a major acne-causing factor for him at the time because the ingredients seemed acne safe (no soy or dairy/whey) – and he was eating so much soy up until we told him how much soy breaks all of our other clients out. shortly after his first treatment at the end of 9/2017, he started the candida cleanse, had two colonics and backed off the protein powder because he wasn’t working out as much anymore. we started to see a big improvement in his skin towards the end of november, 2017 at his 4th treatment and it quickly improved from there. by january 2018 (3 months after first starting with us) he was 95% clear and has been able to maintain that after moving away from the bay area.

through the clean label project’s research, vega was found to be one of the worst rated, containing high levels of toxic heavy metals (!!!). after sharing his story of clarity working with sS on social media, several folks on social media contacted him regarding vega protein powder, citing similar acne experiences while consuming the same thing!

organic protein powders had on average 2x the heavy metals than conventional ones

egg protein was the cleanest with the least heavy metals/toxins

plant-based powders were on average, the most toxic

75% of plant-based tested most positive for lead (they are doing more research on how and why toxins get into these foods so stay tuned for another post once this research comes out)

after reviewing the study findings, we are no longer recommending vega protein powder to our clients and we are currently looking into safer options. so far we have found the following to be acne-safe and clean-project-label-clear on paper, but have yet to actually see clients through using these powders for an extended period of time:

it’s also important to keep in mind that protein powder is a dietary supplement which may be helpful in a pinch, but is not going to be the best option to replace actual real whole natural food meals humans should be eating every day. remember, these are SUPPLEMENTS and NOT everyday meal replacements! instead of making a protein powder shake your daily go-to breakfast, try some of these quick + easy, make-ahead options instead:

steel-cut, gluten-free oatmeal topped with hemp seeds and fresh berries (you can easily no-cook this by soaking them them overnight in the fridge, they’ll be ready in the am)

check out this quick guide to navigating your holiday meals to stay on track and fresh faced during the holiday season!

remember that there are two different types of acne, inflamed and non-inflamed and either or both can be triggered by acne promoting foods. these start out the same way a tiny microscopic plug in the skin. we call this plug an acne seed. these little guys can quickly get inflamed and turn into the red spots that can sometimes be sore and almost look like a mosquito bite. these can pop up a few days after eating an offending food. non-inflamed acne takes 1-3 months to show up on the surface of the skin. this is the time it takes for that little seed to grow into a bump that hangs out under the skin or turns in to a blackhead. this means that the pumpkin pie that you eat on thanksgiving may not show up as acne until new years eve. what a bummer! so to ensure clear skin up to and through the new year, choose these acne safe alternatives during this fun and festive time of year.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY FOODS THAT CONTAIN DAIRY

pies contain butter in their crust and can contain sweetened condensed milk + heavy cream in their fillings (especially in pumpkin and pecan pies).

or just need a quick bite of something sweet? try to find a dried piece of fruit on a cheese tray, or fresh fruit or a square of dark chocolate instead. easy!

if you absolutely have to have something with dairy we think whipped cream is the safest option and here’s why; yes it’s cows’ milk but mostly air, so not as much dairy you’d consume if you were, say eating ice cream or cheesecake. still not recommended if you want your best chance for your clearest skin though.

mashed potatoes are traditionally made with lots of butter and heavy cream.

instead ask your host ahead of time to take some of the boiled potatoes out of the pan before adding butter and cream. add a little salt and pepper and mash your own bowl sans dairy! or how about roasted potatoes, a nice grainy bread or rice? or my personal favorites: roasted turnips (sub ghee for the butter) or roasted radishes – super yum!

or bring your own acne safe mashed cauliflower and turn your friends and family on to this delicious low carb dish.

green bean casserole can be made with butter, cream, and sometimes canned soups (like cream of mushroom) that contain dairy and soy.

instead skip the cassarole or ask your host to set aside some cooked green beans before they casserole them. you can also offer to bring a delicious paleo version that will be sure to please all of the foodies at the table.

gravy can contain cream, butter and white flour.

instead skip it or ask your host to set aside some turkey drippings for you before they add the thickeners. this recipe uses coconut milk and potato starch to make the worlds best paleo gravy.

our very own emily raves about this one which she made last year when her husband was still vegan. she says it was BOMB, even better than regular gravy if that’s possible.

bread usually contains dairy when made from scratch and can also contain soy if store bought.

instead offer to bake the dinner rolls using this amazing dairy free recipe, this paleo recipe, or pick up a loaf at a local bakery where they can tell you which varieties are dairy free.

or impress everyone with these low carb keto buns. switch out the butter for ghee which is butter with the milk solids removed. ghee is a very anti-inflammatory fat and a step up from butter in acne safetyness.

salad dressing can contain dairy in the form of cream and cheese or soy as soy bean oil or soy lecithin.

instead enjoy your salad without the dressing or make a simple vinaigrette like any of these.

so what if you can’t avoid eating these foods? your host is persistent that you try their lovingly prepared holiday offerings and you are absolutely starving and there are no alternatives in sight…(pause, deep breath, big sigh)….then OK, you can just have a literal bite. try sharing a non-safe food with someone if you really can’t avoid it altogether. or try eating around the obvious acne foes and discreetly throw the leftover cheese, sauce or tofurkey away.

what are some of your favorite holiday recipes? share them with us on instagram @skinsalvationacneclinic

Link

going keto the acne-safe way

by kerry watson

the ketogenic diet, also called the “keto” diet is made up of high fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrates. a basic ketogenic diet aims for a daily intake of 75% fats, 20% protein and only 5% carbohydrates. the ultimate goal is ketosis, a state when the body shifts metabolism to become efficient at metabolizing fat for energy instead of glucose. if, after reading this post you get inspired to try an acne safe ketogenic diet, this online keto calculator is a great resource for keeping track of your macronutrients. there is also a great guide and free recipe book on this site to help get you started on the diet.

at least one study has shown that a ketogenic diet may have the ability to improve acne [1]. the understanding that high glycemic and high sugar diets can worsen both inflamed and non-inflamed acne lesions has become more widely accepted. it makes sense that by following a ketogenic diet, spikes in insulin are reduced and this may improve acne in people who are susceptible to breakouts triggered by sugar.

keep in mind that, like all diets, the keto diet is not going to be the best option for everyone. if you have any gallbladder or fat digestion issues then this diet is not for you. for most people, this is a safe and even beneficial lifestyle change. when our ancestors relied on a hunter-gatherer diet most of them spent a good part of each year in ketosis, especially those in colder climates when hunting was the only option during the winter. ketosis is not something new and our bodies have already evolved to tolerate and even thrive in this state.

before embarking on a ketogenic diet, do a little research to first make sure you know what to expect. start here for everything you want/need to know. just remember, unlike other ketoer’s you are doing it the acne-safe way which means, no dairy, soy or coffee 🙂 there are plenty of alternatives available so you won’t miss a thing!

my personal keto journey:

i decided to try this diet for many reasons. i have tried for years to lose weight with diet and exercise without much success. i have a chronic pain condition consisting of back, neck and shoulder pain and inflammation along with migraines. i also have had problems with blood sugar both too low and too high. after being on the keto diet for about 9 months now, i can say that it was one of the best decisions i’ve ever made 🙂

i don’t count carbs or calories. I just stay away from foods that contain more than 3-6 net carbs a serving and that has kept me in ketosis with no issues. click here to learn how to calculate net carbs. i’ve lost 15 pounds and my chronic pain flare ups are about 80% better than when i started. i don’t use any testing to make sure i’m in ketosis. i can just kind of feel when i’m in or out of it. there are subtle body changes that i can feel.

for folks who aren’t complete nutrition nerds like me, it might be a good idea to get some keto strips to test your urine to make sure that your body is getting and staying in ketosis. just keep in mind that these only work in the beginning because as your body becomes fat adapted, it releases less and less ketones in your urine as it becomes better at burning them for energy. however, in the first couple months these strips can help you make sure that you are staying in ketosis.

also, it’s easy to over do it with foods that are low carb. if you eat too many servings of low carb foods, the carbs will add up quickly. one example is nuts and nut butters. be careful to stick to very small quantities of these! look up the carbs in a single serving and see how big that serving is and go from there. you have to be really diligent with staying under 30 net carbs a day for this diet to do what it’s supposed to.

unpleasant symptoms are common at the beginning of embarking on a keto diet. personally, i was very tired, headachy and felt like i was walking through mud a lot of the time. these symptoms are known as the keto flu. this happens because glucose tells the muscles to hold onto water and electrolytes. without a steady glucose supply, these are flushed from the body pretty quickly. to combat this, especially in the beginning, it helps to supplement your electrolytes:

eat potassium rich foods 1000-5500mg a day or get this or this supplement

drink lots of water! you will be peeing a lot for a while until your body becomes fat adapted. this process took me a couple months but it’s different for everyone.

here’s my guide of tips and recipes to get you started:

breakfast

– keto porridge:

3 tbsp almond meal

1 tbsp ground flax meal

some salt

couple droppers of vanilla stevia

tsp of ghee

1 tbsp almond milk or coconut milk (optional)

3/4 cup water

cook on medium low until it thickens a bit. the drop an egg in it and stir it up and into the porridge well until it cooks then add a couple frozen berries. sometimes i skip the berries to be super low carb 🙂

– since the weather has been so hot i’ve been having more salads for breakfast. i make a super large salad a couple times a week and keep it in a big container in my fridge so i can also grab some when i need a snack or a quick meal. i just keep it undressed and add dressing as i eat it. i also keep lots of hard boiled eggs around so that those are ready to go as well.

lunch

– often from postmates: calibur has organic beef lettuce wrap burgers (no bun) that are super yummy. and there are a few poke bowl places that have raw fish over kale or lettuce with acne safe toppings. instead of getting their sauce, top coconut aminos on it yourself to ensure it is acne-safe.

– if you are in the mission, mealmade delivers keto friendly meals. my favorite is this one.

– leftover dinner or this keto bread (crackers) with tomato and avocado and bacon OR salami on it. instead of parmesan cheese, try using daiya shredded cheese. Also, I just found these at Rainbow. they aren’t amazing but they fit the bill for a pizza craving with some sauce, pepperoni and veggies baked on ’em.

– remember, any sandwich, burger, hot dog or taco can be enjoyed in the form of a lettuce wrap. so get some romaine leaves washed and keep them at the ready in your fridge. you won’t miss the buns and bread especially once you see your skin clear up and those extra pounds melt away 🙂

dinner

– i eat lots of low carb salads with some kind of yummy meat. i make this recipe at least once a week using various spice mixes

– of course i have lots of cauliflower rice and different stir fries and one pot instant pot meals over the cauliflower rice. i used to make the cauliflower rice from scratch using my cuisinart but now it’s so mainstream that you can buy it frozen at whole foods or trader joes!

– i really love this recipe. you can make it dairy free with kite hill ricotta and daiya shredded mozzerella instead of the dairy cheese it calls for. nobody will miss the pasta noodles.

– zuchini noodles are easy to make. you just need a good spiralizer like this one. here’s a recent turkey meatball curry dish i made to go over baked zucchini noodles.

– i don’t have a grill and i hate cleaning frying pans so i make lots of burgers in the oven and they always turn out great. here are my amazing baked bison burger and baked curried turkey burger recipes:

baked bison burgers:

1 lb ground bison

1 jalapeno

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika powder

directions: preheat the oven to 375

char the jalapeno using a burner on your stove (gas works best). when it’s all black let it cool then peel the skin off under running water. then chop it up and remove seeds unless you like things super hot. chop the jalapeno up into a fine dice.

mix spices, bision and jalapeno together well in a bowl and form 4 patties. put them on a parchment paper lined baking pan and bake them in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes turning once.

the keto diet: i’m super excited about this non-dairy keto cookbook that one of our awesome clients told me about. here’s a photo of my book. you can see all the tags hanging out marking all the recipes that i want to try.

dessert

about 1 tbsp a day of almond butter on a few squares of low carb chocolate.

avocado pudding sweetened with stevia and/or monk fruit (instead of dates) is a good option too. try to eat lots of avocados because they are loaded with potassium (more than bananas!)

libations:

for alcohol, i stick to vodka mixed with la croix 🙂 there is also this hard cider that is low carb at whole foods. it tastes like super yummy kombucha. read the label though, not sure they are all low carb.

here’s a couple tips for those nights out with the crew:

make sure you drink at least 3 quarts jars of water during the day.

take extra electrolytes during the day (sodium, potassium, magnesium) and take a b-100 complex capsule or tablet before drinking, and then again before bed and then in the am when you wake up. this will prevent a hellish hangover.

remember to go easy on the alcohol while on a low carb diet. it will hit you harder and faster than you are used to.

pcos, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is complicated. it’s an endocrine condition that affects 8-20% of women of reproductive age worldwide1and it is characterized by at least two of the following three symptoms: cysts on the ovaries, elevated male sex hormones and/or absent or irregular periods. pcos is a highly misunderstood condition whose symptoms manifest differently among women. many women with pcos gain weight while others have thin body types, some have acne and regular periods while other haven’t menstruated in months. because almost all women with pcos test high in androgens (male sex hormones), many symptoms include infertility, male-pattern hair loss, oily skin and acne along the jawline, and facial hair growth. these symptoms can be frustrating to deal with because they are persistent and can often make women feel like they have no control over their bodies. but these symptoms appear for a reason. and usually that reason is that our bodies are chronically stressed and something about our lifestyles needs to change. women with pcos are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease, so acknowledging these signals from our bodies is key to keeping ourselves healthy for a lifetime.

what causes pcos?

genetics – while pcos is not a genetic condition, per se, predisposition to pcos can be passed down through generations. those who are exposed to higher androgens by their mothers while in the womb are also at greater risk of contracting pcos later in life.

stress – both physical and emotional stressors can contribute to pcos. some examples of physical stressors include over-exercising, eating foods you are intolerant to, not eating enough and constant blood sugar issues. many women who suffer from pcos are stressed to the max in their everyday lives – they take on extra work at their jobs, juggle familial responsibilities, endure harrowing breakups and family stress and then often criticize themselves for not working or trying hard enough.

blood sugar imbalances – this is one of the most common root causes of pcos and often stems from excessive intake of refined sugars and carbs, or the standard american diet. it often leads to weight gain and involves chronically elevated blood sugar. these blood sugar imbalances cause systemic inflammation in the body and directly influence the production of testosterone, which then inhibits ovulation and fertility.

over-exercisingand under-eating – our society places a tremendous amount of pressure on women to look a certain way. many women internalize the pressure to be thin and spend years of their lives under-eating while engaging in excessive (usually cardio) exercise. high-intensity exercise always causes testosterone spikes, but they are usually temporary, subsiding when we refuel our bodies with calories. but when women exercise for too long without replenishing their energy stores, their hormone balance starts to suffer.

dealing with facial hair growth and acne

if you struggle with facial hair growth, you are not alone. this can be particularly frustrating if it accompanies hormonal acne – they often show up in exactly the same places along the jawline and chin. because of the cultural expectation that women maintain hairless faces, this type of hair growth can be embarrassing – but there is absolutely nothing wrong with you, there is no reason to feel shame, and there is no reason for you to change in order to appease the people in your life. having pcos is hard enough without having to navigate gendered cultural expectations.

if you are a client here at sS and you to decide to undergo laser hair removal or electrolysis, we just ask that you wait at least two weeks between those treatments and our acne face treatments – we don’t want to stress your skin out too much! if you have hair on your face that you want to remove by shaving, try the tinkle razor, which we sell in the clinic. these razors are more gentle than conventional razors. as for waxing, we don’t recommend it! the heat can be irritating to the skin and who knows what kinds of comedogenic ingredients are lurking in those waxes!

if your doctor diagnoses you with pcos, they will most likely send you home with a prescription for one or both of two medications: metformin for insulin regulation and spironolactone for decreasing testosterone levels. it is entirely up to you whether you decide to take these medications or not, and whatever your decision, here are a few herbal, dietary and lifestyle changes to implement to keep pcos symptoms under control (and, as always, ask your doctor before making any major changes to your health plan):

two cups of spearmint tea each day has been shown to reduce free testosterone levels in women with pcos and has resulted in reduced hirsutism with none of the side effects of pharmaceutical-grade drugs.2

400mg of saw palmetto, a plant native to the americas, has been found to inhibit the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. the inhibition of this enzyme helps reduce the conversion of testosterone to dht, which is the male sex hormone that leads to oily skin, hair loss, acne and facial hair growth.3

balance out your blood sugar by reducing your consumption of refined sugars and carbohydrates – ditch the morning cereals for eggs and greens; instead of a sandwich at lunch, try a salad with tuna or grilled chicken. and pasta for dinner? no way! zucchini noodles will do the trick. eat plenty of good fats and protein and aim for three square meals a day to get your blood sugar on track and to give your digestion a break.4 and supplementing with chromium picolinate has been shown to decrease insulin resistance in women with pcos.5

dial in your digestion. take a test to determine any foods you might not tolerate or try an elimination diet to get to the bottom of any digestive woes. this is hugely important because digestive distress is another physical stressor on the body that can ultimately contribute to elevated cortisol and testosterone levels. similarly, make sure your elimination is on track – we flush excess hormones out of the body through our stool, so eat your fiber!

practice stress management. this is absolutely huge. take up meditation, improve your time-management skills, see a therapist to work through emotional stress, start a gratitude journal – do what you can to reduce chronic stress in your life as this is often the root cause of pcos.

cut the coffee. this is a double whammy – not only does coffee contribute to acne, but it also elevates cortisol levels and contributes to systemic inflammation. instead, try green tea, which has a healing effect on the skin due to its high anti-oxidant polyphenol content.

ease up on the exercise. instead of intensive cardio like running or hiit several days a week, switch these out for yoga, walking or light swimming. this will give your adrenal glands a break and will allow your body to more readily recover from stress.

sleep. give your body a chance to do its healing work by getting a solid eight hours of restful and uninterrupted sleep each night. try to make this a priority – this can have a huge impact on the health of our hormones!

find a support group near you to work through your emotions around pcos. it’s a tough condition to deal with so finding support in different areas of your life can be a huge relief.

september is right around the corner and we all know what that means. at the first signs of brisk mornings and fallen leaves crunching beneath our feet, we know it’s time to pick up some last-minute supplies and head off to school once again. we have a ton of clients who attend high school or college, or who take night classes here in the bay area as a step towards a new career. whatever your educational status, we’ve got some tips for staying acne-safe while hitting the books.

first things first: schedule your face treatments. if you are moving away for the school year, get yourself into the clinic for a treatment asap! our estheticians are popular and their schedules book up fast, so try to make your appointment for a face treatment sooner rather than later. if you’re sticking around the bay area, but you know it’s going to be increasingly difficult to make the trek to the clinic because of rigorous school deadlines, try to book your appointments in advance and away from more hectic times like finals and midterms. coming home for the holidays? think ahead and make an appointment as soon as you buy your plane ticket. that a way, you don’t have to worry about booking an appointment at the last minute when you’re already in town.

okay, what about caffeine? caffeine is okay in moderation, but our number one rule is: no coffee. not only can the particular acids in coffee (including decaf) contribute to acne, coffee causes cortisol spikes that can throw your hormonal and adrenal functions off kilter. i know it’s tempting to chug some fortified espresso beverage just to push through that 3am essay-writing frenzy, but there are so many other caffeinated options out there! matcha is nearly ubiquitous these days, so try to find a cafe that offers this delicious brain booster. chai tea lattes with almond milk are another great option. i know that it can be difficult to abstain from coffee while studying to be the world’s next best lawyer/philosopher/doctor, but you can do it! i stopped drinking coffee cold turkey smack dab in the middle of my graduate program, and it wasn’t easy at first. but after the adjustment phase, i found that my energy sustained much more evenly throughout the day while consuming only green tea. after a while, i didn’t need any stimulants and i could focus on my work much more intently. try it out!

if you don’t have a hot plate for boiling water, invest in an inexpensive electric kettle. make your morning matcha, stow it away in a hydro flask and skip to class with boundless energy! in the evening, sip on some tea with calming herbs like lemon balm and chamomile to bring your cortisol levels down.

how about food? i bet you are wondering how to cook an acne-safe meal in your dorm room when you only have a microwave, maybe a hot plate. this is where trader joe’s comes in. if you lack the space and tools to prep veggies, grab a pack of tj’s mini carrots, some pre-spiralized sweet potato or zucchini, saute them in some ghee or pop them in the microwave with some tj’s chicken thighs and you’ve got yourself an acne-safe meal in minutes. grab a handful of trail mix to snack on throughout the day or become a cheese-less sandwich master. if you have a freezer in your dorm room, stock up on their inexpensive organic frozen vegetables. pair their frozen riced cauliflower with a dairy-free vegetable curry or steam some frozen spinach in the microwave to serve over brown rice pasta with tomato sauce. get creative! their packaged frozen meals can be helpful in a pinch, but watch out for hidden dairy and soy in the ingredients. you can also save some extra cash by heading to your local natural grocer and hitting the bulk bin section. stock up on snacks, granola for breakfast (with almond milk, of course), rice, dried fruit, etc.

just remember: when you live in a dorm, canned food is your friend. if you’ve got the space, keep some essentials on hand for when you are too busy to cook a huge meal. if you have access to a dining hall, use it! most colleges offer fresh vegetables and grilled meat, tacos, even dairy-free pizza – tons of acne-safe options if you look for ’em! but if you prefer to cook for yourself, you might need a couple of gadgets to get the job done. scour amazon for a magic bullet if you are a smoothie person, invest in a hot plate if you prefer sautéing your veggies to microwaving, or better yet, get an instant pot, which allows you to do everything from sauté to steam to slow cook!

but school is stressful! yes, school can be a deeply stressful environment. it’s quite romantic to dream of the academic atmosphere steeped in late nights, bottomless espresso drinks and strict deadlines. but this high-strung lifestyle is anything but acne-safe. managing your time and practicing self-care are essential for maintaining both your sanity and your calm. why is stress management so important? because stress, like coffee, causes our adrenals to churn out more cortisol than we need floating around our bloodstreams. this creates an inflammatory state in the body while elevating male sex hormones, like dht, which contributes to oily skin and acne. so check your stress at the dorm door! if you are getting ready to endure a particularly stressful time, take some zyflamend (the herbal supplement we love that combats systemic inflammation). find the time to take up a relaxation practice – look into free or sliding-scale yoga and meditation classes on campus and try to get rid of those nasty procrastination habits. waiting until the last minute to complete papers and to study for exams can lead to unhealthy behaviors that are not great for the skin, like skimping on sleep, relying on caffeine to stay awake and eating foods with dairy. schedule extra time for essays and projects so that you don’t run into these stressors.

exercise and community are also important for stress-reduction. join a club or a sports team to get some extra social time in if you are feeling overwhelmed. combining socializing and movement in one go can be a huge time-saver – take a yoga class with a friend or go on a hike with some classmates to talk about midterms. and if you go to the gym, remember to pack travel sizes of your sS products for your gym bag so you can rinse off after working out. school is stressful, so always contact student mental health services to chat with a counselor for some help wading through the difficulties of student life. check out this post for more stress-relief tips!

how do i take care of my skin? stocking up on skin products before you leave for school is always a good idea. but if you forget, or if you just don’t have time to make it into the clinic, remember that you can always order products online through our website and have us ship them to you. so easy! if you are moving to a colder, drier climate for school, stock up on extra moisture – hydrating cream and safeguard spf40 will do wonders to keep your skin glowing throughout the darkest months. and if you’re lucky enough to be heading to a warm place with lots of sun, try a lighter sunscreen like tizo2 or tizo3 – these products will help soak up any extra moisture on your skin leftover from hot and humid climates.

questions while you’re away? if you find that you need some extra help from your esthetician while you’re gone, never hesitate to email her – we are always happy to answer skin questions and troubleshoot issues from afar. we love the virtual popzit appointment! and remember to always check back on our blog and instagram for new info related to clear skin and tips for leading an acne-safe lifestyle. it’s a great resource – if you’ve got a question about acne, chances are, we’ve written about it!